"Not only must you count your blessings, you must make your blessings count,"
said Deputy Energy Secretary Charles Curtis, the featured speaker at the Oct.
22 grand opening ceremony for the National Energy Research Scientific Computing
Center (NERSC) and the Energy Sciences Network (ESnet). With the pressing of a
button, Curtis activated a pair of virtual scissors that proceeded to cut
through a digital red ribbon to mark the official opening of Berkeley Lab's new
multimillion dollar supercomputing and networking facilities.

Hailed as the "most powerful combination of unclassified computing and
networking resources in the United States," NERSC/ESnet is expected to serve
thousands of researchers in laboratories and universities across the country.

"This facility will be one of the bridges to the 21st century that is strong
enough for all to walk across," Curtis said. He also said that NERSC/ESnet, by
strengthening the links between the national labs, universities, and private
industry, will help in the fight ahead to "sustain public investment in
science," despite continuing reductions in the federal budget.

Curtis was the final speaker in the grand opening ceremony, which began at 11
a.m. and was simultaneously broadcast to a packed Bldg. 50 auditorium, as well
as the auditorium in Bldg. 66, and across the Internet via the MBone. Those
watching were given a real-time demonstration of the power of NERSC/ESnet with
a flawless transmission of experimental results from Argonne National
Laboratory. Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, attendees were treated to a
short video, and then offered guided tours of three key new additions: the
Machine Room, which houses NERSC's statuesque family of supercomputers; the
operations center for ESnet, where a mind-numbing volume of digital traffic
transmitted at blistering speeds is managed; and the incredible Scientific
Visualization room where stunning virtual reality images of experimental data
are projected onto a wall-sized screen.

Deputy Secretary Curtis called NERSC/ESnet the "culmination of a half-century
investment in computer technology." He traced the roots of this new center back
to the "vision of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the drive of (his
scientific advisor) Vannevar Bush," saying they recognized the importance of
federal support for scientific research and saw computers as the technology of
hope.

"This center (NERSC/ESnet) provides us all with hope for the future," Curtis
said.

In addition to Curtis, some 80 other distinguished visitors attended the
opening ceremony and were given a special preview by William McCurdy, associate
laboratory director for Computing Sciences. Among these guests were Edward
McCracken, president and CEO of Silicon Graphics, Inc., Robert Ewald, president
of Cray Research, Dominick DeAngelo, vice president for network services at
Sprint, and Martha Krebs, director of DOE's Office of Energy Research. All gave
remarks during the opening ceremony, following introductions by Berkeley Lab
Director Charles Shank.

Not in attendance, but sending a letter of congratulations was President Bill
Clinton. In the letter, which was read aloud by Curtis, the President applauded
the staff at Berkeley Lab, along with members of the University of California
and DOE.

"You have given scientists at universities and laboratories a powerful research
tool that will help them to create a brighter future for us all."

CAPTION: NERSC Division Director Horst Simon speaks to invited guests during
the grand opening ceremonies of NERSC and ESnet on Oct. 22. The virtual ribbon
cutting was displayed on the three monitors, and broadcast live to employees in
the Bldg. 50 and Bldg. 66 auditoriums, as well as on the Internet via the
MBone.

When the digital red ribbon surrounding the image of the Cray T3E was
ceremoniously snipped by "virtual" scissors on Oct. 22, it signaled much more
than the opening of an unclassified computing and networking center equal in
scope to any in the nation. It symbolized the start of a new era of scientific
research at Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, one that
promises to have an international impact even before the center's enormous
potential is realized.

The National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC), the Energy
Sciences Network (ESNet) and their affiliated units represent an historic
opportunity for Berkeley Lab to make a major contribution to bringing
large-scale high-performance computing to scientific discovery. Our success
will be measured on the new knowledge that we are able to create by strongly
coupling scientific problems to unparalleled opportunities in the dynamic world
of supercomputing. The components are in place for lifting our scientific
programs to new levels of excellence through our capabilities in imaging,
networking, data management, and computing science research.

To encourage the integration of high-speed computation into our research
efforts, we have committed approximately $3.5 million of this year's
Laboratory-Directed Research and Development (LDRD) funds to programmatic
partnerships with computational sciences. In this year's LDRD, 21 proposals
will be funded to jump-start computational programs.

As our newest core competency, Computing Sciences will be the nexus for
exciting and innovative collaborations, both here and with our "collaboratory"
partners throughout DOE, at universities, and in industry. NERSC/ESnet will
continue the Berkeley Lab tradition of team-oriented interdisciplinary
science-of-scale begun here by Ernest Lawrence 65 years ago.

Looking ahead to budget projections that suggest science funding on a lower
trajectory, one thing remains clear: we will have to increase our scientific
capability in order to thrive and be competitive into the next century. With
our new computing sciences center as a tremendous advantage, we can and will
remain at the cutting edge of the scientific world.

On behalf of the Laboratory, I welcome our new arrivals in Computing Sciences
and look forward to their contributions to our legacy.

After almost eight hours of presentations and tours at the
Laboratory on Oct. 16, UC Regent Sue Johnson, chair of the Committee on
Oversight of the Department of Energy Laboratories, spoke on behalf of her
fellow Regents in Berkeley Lab's Perseverance Hall.

"This has been a most satisfying day," she told Director Charles Shank and
associates. "You've positioned the Laboratory to be right on the leading edge
in terms of computing and of partnering with the (UC) campuses."

Her enthusiasm was echoed by others in the University contingent who had
devoted the day to a Lab visit in order to learn more about the programs of the
facility they manage on behalf of DOE. UC President Richard Atkinson was among
those who heard Shank explain why Berkeley Lab is "a special place."

Shank began with an overview of the Lab's mission and history, including Ernest
Lawrence's legacy of interdisciplinary groups tackling problems of great
complexity. He also touched upon the current challenges represented by the
country's re-evaluation of its commitment to research and the forces of change
being faced by DOE.

On tour, Regents and administrators visited the Advanced Light Source, Human
Genome Center, Lighting Efficiency Laboratory, and new Computing Sciences
center. They also heard Jerry Rubin, a geneticist in the Life Sciences
Division, discuss his work with the Drosophila genome in partnership with UC
Berkeley and the National Institutes of Health.

Deputy Director Klaus Berkner told the group about the Lab's re-engineering
activities, which are reducing overhead costs and improving efficiency. Shank
moderated a panel on UC-Laboratory partnerships that featured several UC
Berkeley, San Francisco and Davis faculty members commenting on the value of
scientific exchange.

Awards & Grants
This month, Berkeley Lab employees gained national recognition for their
efforts at improving energy efficiencies on and off the Hill. On Oct. 24, Doug
Lockhart of Operations received a DOE National Award for Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy for his development of engineering tools to minimize energy
use here at the Lab and in the public and private sectors.

Earlier in the month, two Berkeley Lab researchers won Environmental Technology
Partnership grants, which are jointly awarded by DOE and NSF for studies that
lead to "more environmentally sound and energy efficient industrial processes."
John W. Morris of the Materials Sciences Division received a $175,000 grant to
explore the use of SQUID microscopes as non-destructive characterization tools
for energy efficient manufacturing. Alexis Bell, also with MSD, received a
$150,000 grant to conduct basic chemistry research for improving the catalytic
means of making fuels and chemicals.

CAPTION: In an Oct. 21 dedication ceremony, Lab Director Charles Shank, Deputy
Director Pier Oddone, Structural Biology Division Director Sung-Hou Kim, and
Roland Hirsch of DOE's Office of Health and Environmental Research (OHER) cut
the ribbon on the new Structural Biology Support Facilities at the Advanced
Light Source. The $7.9 million, 11,000 square-foot facilities, funded by OHER,
will enable the application of a full range of molecular biology, biochemistry,
and computational tools to the complex problems of biological systems. The new
space includes wet laboratories, cold rooms, a cell culture laboratory, an
x-ray suite, a dark room, a computer lab, restrooms, nine offices, and an
elevator. Photo by Don Fike

The Department of Energy has announced the creation of a "virtual
human genome institute" in an effort to better integrate the research at its
three human genome centers. Berkeley Lab, Livermore and Los Alamos are all host
to DOE-funded human genome centers. It is DOE's intention to link the research
at these centers in a drive to sequence approximately 40 percent of the full
complement of human DNA by the year 2005. The new Joint Genome Institute will
also strive to share genome data faster through public data bases.

"Joint research could enable faster and more accurate diseases diagnosis and
medical treatments and quite possibly prevent diseases altogether," said Energy
Secretary Hazel O'Leary. "Genome technologies also offer great promise for
agriculture, environmental cleanup, energy use and production, and industrial
processes."

According to Martha Krebs, director of DOE's Office of Energy Research, "The
Joint Genome Institute will enable more efficient cooperation among DOE
laboratories to develop the next generation of genome sequencing technologies."

The institute is scheduled to become fully operational in January 1997, under
the leadership of Elbert Branscomb, an LLNL infomatics expert who has been
designated "Chief Scientist of the DOE Human Genome Program."

DOE will allocate approximately $42 million the first year (about 45 percent of
the total DOE human genome budget), with plans to spend approximately $150
million over the next three years. The new virtual institute's budget will be
"task-based" with the allotment of funds to be determined by external review of
proposed activities and the contributions of each of the three participating
laboratories.

DOE public meeting in Oakland to address disposal of fissile
material:

On Monday, Oct. 28, DOE will sponsor a public meeting in the
Oakland Federal Building (1301 Clay St.) to solicit comments on the "Draft
Nonproliferation and Arms Control Assessment of Weapons-Usable Fissile Material
Storage and Plutonium Disposition Alternatives." There will be two sessions on
Monday: 1-4 p.m., and 5-8:30 p.m., in Roybal Auditorium. The draft assessment
is being developed to analyze options for managing hundreds of tons of
plutonium and highly enriched uranium left over from the dismantling of
thousands of nuclear weapons. The draft can be viewed on the internet at
http://www.doe.gov or a copy can be obtained by dialing 1-800-835-8009. All
comments on the draft assessment are due by Nov. 6.

Rosemary "Rosie" Jacquith Barrett, a 34-year veteran of the Laboratory and the
University, died on Sept. 9 due to complications from a stroke. She was 82.

Barrett joined the Laboratory in 1947, working in the Health Chemistry
Department, Safety Services (now EH&S) as a mathematician for the ALARA
program. She is warmly remembered by her coworkers and friends.

A resident of Berkeley, Barrett was dedicated to education, and shared a love
of animals with her husband. She supported education at Scripps College, where
she received her degree in 1936, as well as Mills College in Oakland, UC
Berkeley, and the San Francisco Zoo.

Barrett is survived by her husband Donald, to whom she was married for 51
years, and two nieces.

At 40 million and growing, halogen torchieres are now the biggest energy user
in the lighting industry. A halogen torchiere is a floor lamp topped with a
halogen-gas-filled bulb sitting in a bowl-shaped reflector that projects light
towards the ceiling.

Part of the attraction of halogen torchieres are manufacturer's claims of
energy efficiency. Researchers in the Energy & Environment Division's
Lighting Laboratory have discovered, however, that these claims are often
overstated and misleading. In fact, results of tests performed at the Lighting
Laboratory raise questions as to whether halogen torchieres are even as
energy-efficient as table lamps using incandescents.

A halogen torchiere left on an average of four hours a day probably costs a
PG&E customer as much as $60 a year in electricity. This cost is about
three times as much as table lamps using incandescent sources. Standard
torchieres use high wattage halogen lamps in the 300-600 watt range. Table
lamps, on the other hand, typically use incandescents in the 60-100 watt range,
or compact fluorescents in the 18-26 watt range.

Halogen torchieres have other disadvantages. When they are dimmed, for example,
power quality drops significantly, a concern to electric utilities since drops
in power quality have to be made up by costly adjustments to the power grid. In
addition, according to E Source, a company specializing in energy-efficiency
information, both Underwriters' Laboratory and the Consumer Products Safety
Commission are reviewing halogen torchieres for fire hazard potential. The
torchieres have been banned in several U.S. college dormitories.

The hazards and inefficiencies of halogen torchieres have long been a concern
for Lighting Laboratory researchers Michael Siminovitch and Erik Page.
Recently, E Source estimated that the explosive growth of halogen torchiere use
has essentially wiped out the energy savings of all compact fluorescent
lighting. This spurred Siminovitch and Page to pursue design and testing of an
energy-efficient compact fluorescent (CFL) version of the torchiere.

First, they redesigned a standard halogen torchiere to accept a 38-watt CFL and
electronic ballast. Next, they tested both a standard halogen torchiere and
their CFL torchiere prototype using the lab's photogoniometer, a device that
measures the intensity and direction of light exiting from a lamp and fixture.
Test results from the photogoniometer demonstrate that the 38-watt CFL
torchiere prototype nearly produces a light output equivalent to a 300-watt
halogen torchiere.

To hasten production of a marketable CFL torchiere, the Lighting Laboratory
formed a consortium with General Electric and Emess Lighting, one of the
largest portable fixtures manufacturers in the United States. The consortium
hopes to market an energy-efficient CFL torchiere costing under $50 by next
spring. Emess Lighting engineers are working exclusively on a 55-watt CFL
torchiere prototype that will generate more light output than the 300-watt
halogen torchiere.

Instead of dimming, the CFL torchieres will utilize two to three power levels.
Power quality will be better for the CFL torchiere generally, and will remain
steady at different power settings. The cooler operating temperatures of CFLs
greatly reduce fire risk. Because they last last five times as long and are so
much more energy-efficient, the new CFL torchiere could save PG&E customers
more than $350 in electricity and lamp replacement costs over the life of the
CFL (about seven years).

Page estimates that replacing all halogen torchieres in the United States with
CFL torchieres could save electricity ratepayers more than $1.5 billion
annually and reduce CO2 emissions by more than 11.5 million tons a year.

CAPTION: Erik Page holds a CFL torchiere prototype (left) and a standard
halogen torchiere (right) in front of an infrared photo showing the heat
produced by each lamp. Both torchieres have been shortened for photometric
testing. Photo by Roy Kaltschmidt

This is the second in a series of articles from EH&S's Waste Management
Group (WM) designed to provide information to all generators of waste at
Berkeley Lab (including hazardous, radioactive, mixed, biomedical, and waste
destined for sanitary land-fill). The first article appeared in the Sept. 27
Currents. Soon, WM will have a home page on the Web where this information will
be consolidated.

Meeting your needs: Waste Management is here to help waste generators manage
waste in a way that minimally disrupts research or support activities. WM will
help you comply with all requirements for waste generators. For example, if you
need waste accumulation containers (drums, carboys, solvent cans) or a waste
requisition form, an emergency supply of waste labels until you can get them
from Stores, or have questions about waste pickups, call WM's "Rapid Response
Technician" at 425-0824 (pager). In response to generators' concerns over WM's
accessibility, this assignment has been created for one person who will provide
same-day response to your needs during working hours. You may also contact
Michelle Obrien (X5877), head of the Waste Operations Team, or your Generator
Assistance Specialist.

Waste Pickup Times: The "Generator Guidelines" (PUB-3092) establish a time
frame by which WM will pick up your waste within seven working days after you
fax either a Hazardous Waste Disposal Requisition or a Radioactive/ Mixed Waste
Disposal Requisition with a supporting RadTag (Radioactive Waste Tag). WM
renews its commitment to achieve this standard for all waste types.

Once you FAX your requisition (X4838), it undergoes thorough reviews by WM's
Certification and Compliance Teams to ensure your waste is properly character

ized for recycling, treatment, and ultimate disposal. If WM needs additional
information--e.g., the waste is not adequately described, the documents aren't
signed, or an RMA Waste Certification Form has not been filled out for waste
leaving a Radioactive Materials Area (RMA)--this will affect WM's ability to
pick up the waste within seven working days. In such cases, you will be
notified within three working days after your requisition has been received.

If there is no pickup or communication between you and WM within seven working
days after you have faxed your requisition, please call your Generator
Assistance Specialist or Michelle Obrien (X5877). WM considers its failure to
pick up waste within seven working days or to contact you within three working
days reportable under its NCAR (Nonconformance and Corrective Action Report)
system.

Radioactive Dry Waste Characterization: Many generators have been looking for
help in characterizing and managing radioactive "dry waste": paper, plastic,
rubber, glass, wood, or metal, but containing no free liquids. Contamination of
dry waste with certain solvents or chemicals even if dry to the touch, can
render the waste "mixed" (a combination of LLW and hazardous waste). Once waste
becomes mixed, it's very difficult to find off-site options for it.

WM recently clarified and modified several waste characterization and
management requirements for generators, concerning waste accumulation logs,
segregation, etc. We can also tell you how to avoid mixed waste. If you are
interested in learning more, contact your Generator Assistance Specialist or a
member of the WM Certification Team (X4826). WM will soon provide formal
guidance in a pamphlet, and will revise the Generator Guidelines to incorporate
these changes.

CAPTION: Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-Mich.), vice chair of the House Science
Committee (right), tours the NERSC machine room with Associate Lab Director
Bill McCurdy (left) and Lab Director Charles Shank during an Oct. 11 visit to
Berkeley Lab. This was a return trip home for the congressman, who received his
Ph.D. in physics from UC Berkeley, and worked at the Lab in nuclear physics for
six years. Ehlers also visited the Advanced Light Source and the Human Genome
Laboratory. Photo by Roy Kaltschmidt

More than 750 Lab employees participated in the 19th annual Berkeley Lab
Runaround, a 3.0 kilometer fun run that started at noon on Friday, Oct. 11,
near the Fire House, and ended in a celebration at the cafeteria. The final
count had 754 participants on foot or in wheelchairs, 10 on bicycles (in an
11:30 a.m. BikeAround), one on rollerblades, and several tots in strollers and
backpacks.

The first person to cross the finish line this year was Crispin Hetherington,
who clocked in with a time of 9:42. The first woman to finish was Michelle
Huesman, with a time of 12:25.

After the run, participants grabbed water bottles supplied by the USE Credit
Union, picked up T-shirts designed by TEID's Crystal Stevenson, then enjoyed
snacks supplied by the cafeteria staff, and musical entertainment by the Lab's
Music Club. Deputy Director Pier Oddone traded in his running shoes for a
chance to use a starting pistol (although he wasn't allowed to use one!), and
at the other end of the run, he handed out prizes to the top finishers.
Co-organizer Steve Derenzo handed out prizes for such accomplishments as
youngest baby, shabbiest running shoes, best costume, best women's biceps, and
best men's legs.

In a show of team spirit, several of our colleagues in Berkeley Lab's
Washington, D.C., office participated in their own 5K Runaround--starting at
the same time--through the streets of the capital. They also received T-shirts
for their efforts.

All in all, the event was another rousing success, thanks in large part to the
hard work of all the volunteers, and to the sponsorship of the Employees'
Activities Association.

1996 Winners

Runaround XIX Volunteers

Special thanks to those who helped from Operations, Transportation, Site
Access, UCB Police Services, Facilities, PID, TEID, Cafeteria

CAPTIONS:

Runaround winner Crispin Hetherington accepts his trophy.

Michelle Huesman was the first woman to cross the finish line this year.

Cheyenne Clarke, held by big sister Julie Mach, hugs the teddy bear she won for
being the youngest (almost 1 year old) Runaround participant. The girls
completed the circuit with mom Nancy Fleischauer, who won the "most pregnant
participant" competition last year.

A few brave men lined up for the "best legs" contest, which was eventually won
by Randy de Guzman, second from right.

After the run, folks enjoyed food and music outside the cafeteria. Photos
by Roy Kaltschmidt

The 1996 annual Open Enrollment Period begins on Nov. 1, and ends at midnight
on Nov. 24. Information brochures and personalized open enrollment statements
are now being mailed.

This year, plan changes will be paperless--you will make all Open Enrollment
changes by telephone. A special toll-free, 24-hour Open Enrollment Action Line
will be accessible between Nov. 1 and Nov. 24. Instructions on using the Action
Line are included in the Open Enrollment brochure.

You should carefully review the summary to ensure that eligible dependents are
listed. Please make changes as necessary. Also, make note of any plan changes
and premium costs, even if no enrollment changes are warranted.

The following information highlights the upcoming changes:

The Foundation Health Plan will be discontinued at the end of 1996. All
Foundation Plan members will need to select a new health plan. If no new plan
is selected, Foundation members will be transferred to the UC Care plan
effective Jan. 1, 1997.

The Prudential High Option plan rates will increase again substantially.
Prudential High Option members will receive a special mailing addressing the
cost and benefits of changing plans for next year, and will be encouraged to
review alternative coverage choices.

The Legal Expense Plan will be offered for the last time annually; in the
future, it will only be open during specially announced open periods. The plan
will continue to be offered to new eligible employees. Rates and benefits will
also change effective Jan. 1, 1997.

Delta Dental Plan is improving benefit levels for certain services;
deductibles, limitations and exclusions will remain unchanged. Delta's benefit
eligibility period will be changed from any 12 month period to a calendar year
cycle beginning Jan. 1, 1997.

VSP will change the benefit eligibility period from any 12 month period to
a calendar year cycle beginning Jan. 1, 1997. Benefit reimbursements will
increase for services provided by non-VSP providers. Benefit forms are no
longer needed to see a VSP provider prior to making an appointment.

Beginning Oct. 16, employees can call UC's bencom.fone at 1-800-493-4833 to
review UC-sponsored plan change highlights, premium rates and other pertinent
Open Enrollment information. The annual Open Enrollment Announcement,
containing specific information on plan changes and detailed instructions on
how to make enrollment changes, will be mailed to employees in late October.

In addition, information will be available on the HR Department's website
and UC's Bencom website. You must contact the carrier(s) directly this year for
directories and additional plan information; the Benefits Office will have a
limited supply for internal use. Toll-free numbers are listed in the Open
Enrollment brochure; materials requested will be mailed out within two days.
All changes must be made by Nov. 24.

Each eligible employee will receive a special Open Enrollment Access Code,
printed on the 1996 Open Enrollment Statement, to use in making changes on the
Open Enrollment Action Line. You may also use your Benefits PIN to make Open
Enrollment changes. If you do not receive your Open Enrollment announcement in
the next two weeks, or if you lose your Personal Action Code or forget your
Benefits PIN, contact the Benefits Office (X6403) or LBLBenefits@lbl.gov).

This week the new Benefits, Compensation & Records home pages as well as
the new Human Resources home pages are going up on the Web. Here you will find
information on Open Enrollment, the new Open Enrollment Telephone Line, rate
tables, telephone numbers, and other pertinent tidbits.

You will be able to meet the HR staff online and correspond with them via
e-mail by clicking on the e-mail icon underneath their photo. The location or
URL for the Human Resources Department remains the same:

http://www.lbl.gov/Workplace/HumanResources/ . Benefits, Compensation &
Records will be one of the links (clickable icons) off the main HR page. That
URL is: http:// www.lbl.gov/Workplace/HumanResources/BCR.html

In November, the Laboratory will begin offering interactive Oracle training
courses broadcast live by the Oracle Channel. All classes are held from 8:45
a.m. to 1 p.m. in Bldg. 936-12. To register for a class, send a fax to X4072 or
call X5999. The registration deadline is 5 p.m. on the Monday prior to the week
the class is to be held. For information about class content, check out the
World Wide Web at http://www.lbl.gov/
Workplace/EDT/career.folder/DevCareer.html

Representatives from Microsoft Federal (the division of Microsoft that deals
with the federal government and national labs), will give a series of "how to"
sessions on Office 95 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 29, in the Bldg.
50 auditorium.

The schedule is as follows:

9-10 a.m. Microsoft Internet briefing

10:30-11:30 a.m. Microsoft Office

12:30-2 p.m. Round table with the NT Users Group and others

The morning presentations are geared to the nontechnical user and are open to
all interested employees. The afternoon session is geared to technical staff
and NT Systems managers.

In the Oct. 11 issue of Currents, the title of a chart on page 4 listing the
Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) allocations was mislabeled.
The allocations are for FY97. We apologize for any confusion the error may have
caused.

The full text of each edition of Currents is published on the Lab's home page
on the World Wide Web. View it at http://www.lbl.gov/ under "Research News and
Publications." To set up your computer to access the World Wide Web, call the
Mac and PC Support Group at X6858.

The Employees' Arts Council is sponsoring two docent-led tours of the
"Splendors of Imperial China" at the Asian Art Museum in Golden Gate Park on
Saturday, Nov. 23. Hailed by scholars and critics as the greatest collection of
Chinese art ever to be shown in America, this exhibition spans 4,000 years of
history and features hundreds of the incomparable treasures of China, which
were personally collected by its emperors. Included in the exhibition are
paintings, jades, bronzes, ceramics and lacquerware that were passed among
China's imperial rulers from century to century.

Two tour times are available: 8 a.m. and 8:20 a.m. Discounted tickets are $18
for adults, $12.50 for seniors (65 and over), $5 for children (11 and under)
and $11.50 for youth (12-17). If you are a member of the Fine Arts Museum of
San Francisco, tickets may be purchased for $12.50 each. If you are interested
in seeing this exhibition, reservations are required and payment must be
received no later than Nov. 8. Additional information and reservations are
available from Mary Clary at X4940.

Galleries in the Asian Art Museum are accessible to wheelchair users. A limited
number of wheelchairs are available without charge at the museum entrance.

The Laboratory's Diversity Committee invites all employees and employee groups
to submit proposals for events and activities that celebrate diversity in the
workplace. Proposals should recommend events or activities that help foster an
understanding and appreciation of diversity. Employee proposals will be used to
develop the Lab-sponsored Diversity Calendar for 1997. Examples of past
activities include performers, speakers, displays in support of events and
themes such as:

Disability Awareness

Black History Month (February)

International Women's Month (March)

Daughters-to-Work Day (April)

Asian Heritage Month (May)

Gay Pride Month (June)

Hispanic Heritage Month (September)

Native American Heritage Month (November)

Recommendations will be
reviewed by the Diversity Committee. Although employee suggestions are welcome
any time, the committee would like to receive recommendations for activities by
Nov. 15 in order to facilitate planning for next year.

Suggestions for diversity activities or events should be forwarded in writing
(or by electronic mail) to a Diversity Committee representative, committee
chairperson Janet Jacobsen, or Gail Kato in the Work Force Diversity Office.
Contact Kato (X6588) for a current listing of committee members.

The African American Employee Association (AAEA) will launch its annual canned
food drive at the Lab on Friday, Nov. 1. All donations will go to the Richmond
Rescue Mission in Richmond. Look for the green and purple buckets in the
cafeteria lobby.

Don Cowles is retiring after more than 35 years service to the Laboratory. A
retirement luncheon is planned in his honor at Hs Lordships Restaurant in
Berkeley on Friday, Nov. 15. Tickets will be available through Nov. 11. Please
contact Bob Stevenson (X7724) or Martha Condon (X7135) for tickets.

November EH&S Class Schedule

Pre-registration is required for all courses except Introduction to EH&S.
To pre-register for all other classes, send e-mail to LBNL
Training-Registration in the HR zone or send a fax to X4072 with your name,
employee ID number, extension, and class name, date & code (or call
X5999).

The Berkeley Lab Calendar is published biweekly here on the World
Wide Web and in Currents by the Public Information Department.
Employees can list a meeting, class, or event in the Calendar by using this
submission form. The deadline for
submissions is 5 p.m. on Monday in the week that Currents is published.

"Proposition 204: Towards Restoration of the Bay Delta Ecosystem" will be
presented by David Yardas of the Environmental Defense Fund at 4 p.m. in 2 Le
Conte Hall; refreshments at 3:30 p.m. in 310 Barrows Hall.

ALS/CXRO Seminar

"Photoemission Spectroscopy and Microscopy With Circularly Polarized
Synchrotron Radiation" will be presented by Gerhard Fecher of the
Johannes-Gutenberg University at 4:10 p.m. in

"Information and Telecommunication Technologies: The Next Generation of
Residential DSM and Beyond" will be presented by Chuck Goldman of E&E at
noon in Bldg. 90-3148.

Surface Science and Catalysis Science Seminar

"Magnetic Thin Films and Nanostructures: Novel Anisotropy, Transport and
Hysteric Properties" will be presented by Kannan Krishnan of the Materials
Sciences Division at 1:30 p.m. in the Bldg. 66 auditorium.

Physics Division Research Progress Meeting

"BNL-E852 Partial Wave Analysis Results for the eta pi- and pi+ pi- Systems at
18 GeV/c" will be presented by Joseph Manak of the University of Notre Dame at
4 p.m. in Bldg. 50B-4205; refreshments, 3:40 p.m.

"The Musical Score, the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra, and the Measurement of
Ultrashort Laser Pulses" will be presented by Rick Trebino of Sandia National
Labs at 10:30 a.m. in the Bldg. 71 conference room.

Earth Sciences Division Seminar

"Environmental Geophysics: Theory and Applications" will be presented by Louise
Pellerin of the Earth Sciences Division at 11 a.m. in Bldg. 90-2063.

"TFIIH, a Factor Involved in Three Aspects of Cell Life - Transcription, DNA
Repair and Cell Cycle: Implication in Various Genetic Disorders" will be
presented by Jean-Marc Egly of Université Louis Pasteur at 4 p.m. in the
Bldg. 66 auditorium.

ALS/CXRO Seminar

"Low Energy Electron Holography in Transmission and Reflection" will be
presented by John Spence of the University of Arizona at Tempe at 4:10 p.m. in
Bldg. 2-400; refreshments, 3:50 p.m.

"Bioprocessing Strategies in Bioremediation and Waste Utilization" will be
presented by Murray Moo-Young of the University of Waterloo at 11 a.m. in 338
Koshland Hall.

Surface Science and Catalysis Science Seminar

"Brownian Motion on Surfaces and its Relationship to the
Equilibration of Surface Morphology" will be presented by Norman Bartelt of the
Sandia National Laboratories at 1:30 p.m. in the Bldg. 66 Auditorium.

VANPOOL from the Tri-Valley area (Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, San Ramon),
San Ramon riders can be reimbursed for 1/2 their vanpool cost, can receive $50
voucher for other riders from these areas, 1-2 more riders needed. Philip, X6583

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Currents/The View and the Communications Department Staff

Published once a month by the Communications Department for the employees and retirees of Berkeley Lab.